Dunnellon runner realizes goal after winning state title

When Dunnellon senior Chris Jackson earned the Class 2A state championship in the 800 meters in April, the title had more meaning for him than just an athletic victory.

By Richard BurtonCorrespondent

When Dunnellon senior Chris Jackson earned the Class 2A state championship in the 800 meters in April, the title had more meaning for him than just an athletic victory.“It was a big thing to win the state because it was the first meet that my mom had the chance to come to and watch me run,” Jackson said. “She had never been to a meet and had never seen her son run and that really meant a lot.”Jackson, the Star-Banner boys track and field athlete of the year for the second year in a row, had a great deal of confidence, and it paid off with a championship.“It was nice,” Jackson said. “I worked so hard for it and it just came to me. It was something that wasn't a surprise to me because I knew that it was something that I had worked toward. I always had it in my mind that I was going to win state this year and I went out and did it. Everything paid off.”This year at state, Jackson ran a time of 1:55.42 to edge Miami Washington's Vaquann Small, who ran a 1:55.76.The championship was also a bit of redemption for Jackson, who entered last year's Class 3A state meet as a member of West Port High with the best time in the state in the 800, only to finish sixth.This time around, Jackson stayed more focused. He kept in touch with former Lake Weir standout Isaiah Smith, who won state in the 800 in 2011 after placing third the prior year.“He talked to me the whole season,” said Jackson, who was also fifth in the high jump in Class 2A. “He told me to keep my drive up, keep working hard and to stay after it.”With his eyes on the prize, Jackson became the first DHS boys athlete to earn a state title since 1980 when Vito McKeever won the high jump.It also marked the 10th state track title for DHS dating back to 1925.Jackson is only the second DHS boys athlete to claim an individual running state title, joining Johnny Edwards, who won the discontinued 440-yard dash in 1976.Now, Jackson will head to Bethune-Cookman.In Daytona Beach, he'll join former DHS teammate Angelo Cabrera on the Wildcats' track and field team.“I contacted him and said ‘Hey, tell the head coach I said what's up,” Jackson said. “Then their coach instantly got in contact with me. He said ‘Hey, what's up, 1:53 guy. He already knew me right off the bat.”He credited former DHS coach Bessie Criscione for helping him get to where he is in the sport. Criscione kept in contact with Jackson and kept him focused on training.“She gave all the workouts to my coaches (at DHS),” Jackson said. “She's real positive and always tells me what I need to know.”At Bethune, Jackson will have a chance to get even better at the 800.His time of 1:53 at the Florida Relays came against the fastest competitor in the event, which included runners from Florida, Louisiana and Alabama, and showed the potential is there for a runner who considers himself more of a 400 runner, but knows the 800 is his calling card.“I feel like the 800 is a race that you can really work at it,” Jackson said. “You can do more with it and master it more than the 400. The 800 is more of a mixture of speed and endurance and you've got to be smart when you are doing it.”

FIRST TEAMJoey Gibbs, Vanguard, So.: Helped the Knights tie for the state title in adaptive trackJa'real Hamilton, Lake Weir, So.: Third in Class 3A in the long jumpJernir Etienne, Lake Weir, Jr.: Sixth in Class 3A in the triple jumpCamerhon Guyton, Trinity Catholic, Sr.: State qualifier in Class 2A in the 100 and 200